Hi everyone!

For those who have read Moving on, I'm glad to see you back in this new translation of my French story Les fantômes du passé, starring this time the Gruvia couple along with the GaLe couple. I've always adored the friendship between Gajeel and Juvia and I really wanted to, among other things, write about it :) I hope you'll like that new fic :)

For those reading one of my stories for the first time, I hope as much you'll appreciate it!

Also, no worries! Even though that chapter is centered on Gajeel and Juvia, I don't plan putting divergent couples. I would NEVER brake my precious Gajeel x Levy neither the couple between Gray and Juvia ;)

On that thought, enjoy!

Lily xx

The moon was shining in the shy for a moment now. The whole village was asleep for a couple of hours now and, two travelers at the edge of the forest aside, no movement could be seen around. One of them was substantially taller than his partner, his long black mane covering his back. As for the second, she had blue hair, assorted to her eyes, that were tied up in a pony tail. Despite the rather hot temperature of that summer night, she was wearing a dress that suited a wintrier style, decorated with fur around her sleeves and collar.

- Juvia! Hurry up, complained the man up front. We have to be back in this forest before the village's awakening. Never understood why they all wake up that early, he added with a grumble.

- Gajeel wait! Said the young woman out of breath, almost running to compensate the giant steps he was making.

- Tsss, made the young man waiting for a moment, the action being clearly against his will. What's with you tonight? He mumbled, his arms crossed. You're even paler than usual. And normally you keep up with my pace! He added. You look like you haven't exercise for weeks.

Juvia was about to retort that she was like her normal self, but she stopped before she even started. Gajeel was her best friend. She knew him since forever and considerate him as her only family. As unpleasant as he could be most of the time, his critics and mood swings were now part of her quotidian. And that not considering that, even though he could never figure out anything related to relationships, he was always able to know when something was wrong with her.

- Juvia doesn't feel good, she started.

- I knew you were pale, growled Gajeel. You hate something bad? Should've say it before we left.

- No... Juvia means she's not comfortable with the mission...

- We've been on missions since forever and you never complained before, he let out with irritation.

Gajeel had always been more patient with her than anyone else. However, even with her special treatment, she knew he was starting to be at the end of it.

- Never that kind of mission! She continued even so.

- We have orders.

- But...

- If he asked it, it's because it has to be done, he cut her out.

Juvia didn't add a thing, that unpleasant feeling still in her chest. For now, she simply followed Gajeel, ignoring her inner voice that was yelling to turn back. Once in the village, they sneaked to a big house. With a nod, Gajeel confirmed that they were at the right address.

According to the plan, they had to infiltrate the basement where a bedroom was. Due to their experience, braking in wasn't really a challenge. The young woman's heart tightened when they arrived at the said room. The regular breath of the sleeping person could be heard.

Juvia placed a hand on her pommel of her sword. She may have been trained in sword arts, she hated that thing and always preferred martial arts than fencing. On top of that, the mission they had to accomplish was simply despicable to her. Seeing how hesitant she was, Gajeel drew his own sword, rising it, preparing himself to hit the silhouette that was lying under the blankets. Juvia noticed herself a certain hesitation in the young man's movements, but that didn't seem to be enough to stop him. If they were asked to assassinate this person tonight, she must have done terrible things... But to deserve death? She shook her head to clear her mind. Gajeel must be right. Although, an instant before he reached the point of no return, Juvia circled her friend's waist with her arms, forcing him to back up.

- Stop, she said a little too loud.

The later quickly gave a look to the bed, making sure the person was still asleep, then turned a ferocious glare to Juvia's direction.

- Are you trying to wake him up? He said, the fact that he was whispering not strong enough to hide his anger.

- Juvia doesn't want to be part of that, she let out.

***

Juvia let go of him and walked to the bed. "What's that girl's deal?" Gajeel thought with frustration. He had to admit he wasn't found of the mission either. But orders where orders. Ignoring what was asked was simply unthinkable.

The group they were part of since their birth, Phantom, was an organisation working from the shadow to get rid of the kingdom's criminality. His parents before him, as well as Juvia's were part of it. He didn't have a motive to doubt the instructions given. He never did... until now. No, he had to stick to the original plan: get rid of the criminal that was sleeping in the basement's room of that house and come back before dawn. He took back his original position, determined to complete the task, but, just before he could let down his sword, Juvia pulled the blanket hiding the face of his target.

A young woman was sleeping soundly. She was pretty and must have been barely in adulthood. She seemed to smile in her sleep. Seriously, who's smiling in her smile like that? Could she really be a criminal? Hesitation came back much to Gajeel's displeasure.

- Gajeel... we can't do that, whispered her friend, eyes filled with remorse and apprehension.

He was starting to think the same. Now that he had seen the face of his target, he'd never managed to slaughter her like a coward while she couldn't even defend herself. He gave her a last look, wondering how could she sleep with everything happening in the room.

- Shit... he growled, as he lowered his sword for good.

He placed his attention back on Juvia.

- You know what's waiting for us if we desert a mission...

- I know, she sighed.

He cursed, as if he was in a struggle with himself, then turned back, Juvia closely behind.

They reached the forest that was surrounding the village. As planed, the sun was slowly rising in the horizon. However, the most important part had been neglected: accomplishing the mission. Gajeel dropped himself on a log, thinking about the options that were available. They were limited, practically inexistent. No one ever dared to refuse a mission. Joining Phantom meant joining Phantom for live. Beside, until now he had planed spending his life there. Even though Phantom wasn't recognised by law, the organisation had contributed to diminish considerably the kingdom's criminality. So why did that order seemed so... wrong?

- What are Gajeel and Juvia doing now? Said Juvia that seemed to snap out of her trance.

- It was your idea, he growled.

- Gajeel couldn't do it either! She defended herself.

- I was about to.

- Juvia knows you were bothered with it too, she retorted.

He lifted angry eyes on her.

- Bothered? You know what's bothering me? We deserted Juvia! We can't go back to Phantom.

- Maybe he'll...

- Forgive us? He barked. You know him, never will he tolerate that.

- So let's go elsewhere. Juvia and Gajeel gave enough to Phantom.

- Tssss.

He kicked a pebble that was next to his foot.

- Juvia knows it's new for Gajeel and her, but they'll get by elsewhere.

- Don't act like you ignore what's in store for us, he grumbled. As soon as they'll know, they'll be on our heels.

- Gajeel thinks about Aria? Asked the young woman with a trembling voice.

- It's no coincidence we find him dead barely a few days after him quitting Phantom. No one quits it.

Juvia didn't add a thing. Despite the numerous dangerous situations in witch they had gotten themselves before, that one was probably rising the bar. This time, they were on their own. They couldn't back off. All of it for a little criminal that did who knows what. Gajeel blamed himself for being such a coward.

Juvia finally fell asleep, her head against the young man's thigh. As for Gajeel, he was staring at the emptiness, tiredness not getting a hold of him despite the sleepless night they had spent. When Juvia woke up, they started to walk, taking care to avoid letting traces of their path. They had to put as much distance as they could between them and their mission's location. The forest was multiple kilometers wide but they knew that, past it, they could find a little village named Magnolia. That's where they were heading. There, they may be able to disappear... for now.

P.S. Even though my father's English, my first language is French. So despite the fact that it's not my first translation, I may make some grammar or syntaxes mistakes. If some of them seem recurrent, please let me know :) Any other comments on the story are also welcome :D